Cork City boss John Caulfield: We need to finish in top two this season

Aidan Fitzmaurice
– 09 October 2015 02:30 AM

Cork City manager John Caulfield

Cork City boss John Caulfield has told his players to make sure of a top-two finish in the league this season.

The Munster side achieved one of their aims for the season by securing a place in the FAI Cup final, but with Shamrock Rovers only two points behind, there's a danger in missing out on second place for Cork, who face a struggling Drogheda side in United Park tonight.

"I have no doubt that, over the next four or five weeks, we will give very strong performances," says Caulfield, pleased that a Cup final appearance, the club's first in eight years, is now secure.

"I expect us to win matches and I expect us to finish second. The players can see that there are places in the team for the final up for grabs and they have the bit between their teeth."

Tonight is possibly a bigger game for the home side as Mark Kinsella's Drogheda, with just one win in the last 11 games, are in real danger of demotion, United only four points ahead of bottom side Limerick and games are running out.

"It's fascinating at the bottom of the table and it is still very hard to predict who will go down," added Caulfield.

"It's a big game. Drogheda need a result, we are second and we want to ensure we finish second.

"With the Cup final coming up, it is an opportunity for players who have been out through injury to challenge for a place. Drogheda is a ground that is very similar to Bray, it is very tight, very compact. I never remember having an easy game in Drogheda, so the important thing is that we are tuned in and we give a strong performance," added the Cork boss, relieved to recall Steven Beattie and Stephen Folan after they were cup-tied for Sunday's semi-final win in Bray.